Gods, Men, an Deadly Secrets
by Song of Aria
Summary: Hermia couldn't dream of any honor better than serving as confidant to the Rogue, himself. But through it will she find something even more precious to her? Or will she betray her country and everything she loves?
1. prologue

**Prologue**

Hermia could now feel the cold wall one her back. Her breath caught in her throat. She wanted to scream, get anyone's attention, but there was only him. His bright violet eyes seemed to glow in the darkness, inches away from her face. A rough hand bushed her cheek softly, and all her fear dissolved into a light fluttering sensation in her chest. But that flutter quickly froze and filled her lungs with ice. She shuddered. Her knees knocked together as the coldness consumed her. She clenched her teeth and closed her eyes, but the tears came anyways. "I'm sorry…" Then she flew from the chamber, leaving everything but her secrets.

There were too many secrets...

Too many lies...

And worst of all, Hermia couldn't help but feel that along the way she had caused a series of horrible events to begin...

War.

Death.

And the animation of an evil unlike any ever before in Tortall's history.


	2. Chapter 1

Hermia fluffed the edges of her long skirts; they were brown and didn't fit very well, but they would have to do. She was now fifteen, you'd think her mother could scrounge up something to make it look nice. Hermia scowled and prodded her face. Her mother could at least buy her some cosmetics. The girl heaved a heavy sigh and gave her skirts one last tug before grabbing a parcel off her desk and heading out to the market.

The streets of Corus were filled with merchants and travelers. Hermia managed to squeeze herself through the crowd with ease (she was most certainly skinny enough to). She made her way past a small group of boys playing ball. None of them even noticed her. She drug her feet the rest of the way to the Dancing Dove.

The pub was in full celebration even though the sun just barely setting. As Hermia walked through the door, a man about twice her size collapsed on the floor right in front of her, his face bloodied.

"Yeah that's right," a man said, leaping on top of a table. "Who else dares to challenge me?"

His copper hair and hazel eyes clearly marked him as George Cooper, the Rogue himself. He wasn't one to put up poor behavior.

"My Liege," Hermia announced from the doorway. "Might I accept your challenge?"

George cocked his head at her. "Hermia!" He leapt off the table and strode over to her. He looked her over and then began inspecting the package. Then he leaned in close to her. There where whistles and yells from the men, but George just ignored them. "Is it exactly as I ordered it?" he whispered in her ear.

Hermia lifted her head away and winked at a group of men huddled around there tankards. "Most certainly my Lord. If you wish, you could inspect my goods more thoroughly in private."

This elicited another round of whistles and barks from the crowd. George silenced them with a single swing of his arm. He straightened up and cleared his throat. "Mistress Hermi if you would follow me to my chamber…"

He bowed, and Hermia curtsied and followed the Rogue upstairs to his room. George locked the door behind him and took the parcel from Hermia's grasp. Georges room was quite lofty. One could easily escape through his high window or even his ceiling. It was a thief's paradise. Hermia ran her finger over the edge of a small bookshelf by the wall. "So I take it you have another task for me to fufill…" she commented dryly.

He chuckled. "No need to be so excited… it's just a small delivery for a confidant the City of the Gods." George flashed her a smile. "And who better to deliver a confidential message than one of my own kin."

She sighed. Only George of course would have the common sense to pull the "kin card" on his own uncle's bastard daughter. Though, it was one of the only tactics that worked on her. "Alright, I concede. So where is this lovely thing, so I can get this done with?"

"Haven't it yet. Be patient or I'll take your ear off."

Hermia scowled as he ruffled her hair.

"It'll all be explained soon." George said patting her head. There was suddenly a boom of laughter and cheers from below them. "Perfect timin.' You can go on your way. I'll contact ye later. I need to talk to a fine assistant of mine." And with a smirk the king of thieves coolly exited the room. There was another boom of cheers and then things quieted down.

Hermia took a quick look around the room and then made her way to the high window. She put her hands on the ledge and then nimbly lifted herself out and onto the roof. The sky was now a warm violet. Hermia closed her eyes and opened her ears. She could hear voices coming up the stairs and George's door creak open.

"Come on… an' be sure ye ain't heard boy…" Hermia stiffened; she didn't recognize that voice. "Now just ye point out where the Rogue keeps 'is loot."

Hermia heard the boy whimper and stammer a quiet response, then the man growling in anger. She felt up her leg until she felt her knife sheath. She silently drew the blade and crept to the edge of the window. She peered in. She recognized the boy immediately as the pub's cleaning boy. The man with him was a broad man who looked like any old thug. Hermia lifted the blade to her lips. She gave it a short peck for luck. Then threw.

It was right on target. The blade was longed neatly in the man's temple, causing him to collapse with a satisfactory thud. The young boy screamed. "I'm sorry Mr. Cooper! He forced me to do it! I didn't mean-"

"Mithros child, will you settle down. He's not here, but if you keep yowling like that I can tell you it won't be long before he is." Hermia slid from her window perch into the room. She examined her kill. The blood wasn't seeping past the knife yet so clean up should be much easier. The boy didn't utter a sound as Hermia lifted the torso from the floor. She patted his sides until she found what she wanted. The velvet purse jingled so nicely when she shook it. Money always made such a warm happy sound. She removed a single silver coin and flipped it over to the kid. "That's for your silence. Now help me get him out of here."

It took great effort to lift the body out the window, but they managed it. The kid wasn't that bad at moving from roof to roof. He seemed so scrawny, but he was strong. By the time night had fallen, Hermia and the boy had managed to move the man almost halfway across town. After that it wasn't much longer before they had reached the palace. One thing Hermia loved about being near the palace was the wonderful ignorance of what was just outside the palace walls. There were countless ditches that served as great spot for burying stuff. Not that Hermia used them that often. She picked out a good spot right next to the gate where nobody would notice the poor chap until sunrise. Before leaving she made sure to remove her dagger and gave the man another quick pat down.

The boy stared at her all the while, his bright blue eyes glowing in the moonlight. One would have never guessed that he had just witnessed a killing. A crashing sound by the gate made Hermia leap to her feet with dagger in hand.

"Hermia," a young man's voice said from the darkness. "I see you are as radiantly wild as usual."

Hermia immediately relaxed and chuckled. She dismissed the boy, throwing a couple more silver coins in his direction. She watched as the boy scampered off, tripping over his own feet. Then she turned back towards the gate. "You really should work on your manners, Stefan. You nearly sent me to the black god that time…"

The tall young man stepped into the moonlight, his hair glowing a soft shade of white. "Pardon me Milady… but unfortunately this meeting is strictly business…"


End file.
